Heavy, peaceful turnout in Andha Pradesh by-polls

Barring stray incidents of violence and minor technical hitches, polling in the Tuesday’s by-elections to the lone Nellore Parliament, and 18 Assembly constituencies in the state was peaceful. The results would be declared on Friday.

Chief electoral officer, Banwarlal, said that the average polling percentage was over 76, two per cent higher than 74 per cent recorded during the last general election. The percentage of polling was lowest in the Tirupati Assembly segment at 55, while it was highest in Narasapuram at 90.

The by-elections, which have been dubbed as a “semi-finals” to the 2014 general elections, were marked by a bitter campaign by the leaders of the Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

A no-holds-barred battle preceded the polling day with the three parties deploying all their resources to woo the voters. Money and liquor were stated to have been distributed liberally.

Founder of YSRCP and Kadapa MP, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, was imprisoned just a fortnight before the elections in a disproportionate assets case. Following this, Jagan’s mother YS Vijaya and sister Sharmila, spearheaded the election campaign of YSRCP.

The emotional appeal made by the mother and daughter to the electorate, according to political observers, had further marred the prospects of the ruling Congress and the Opposition TDP at the hustings.